The West-Vega Conundrum
by Metatron85
Summary: Tori has been inexplicably absent from the group. Turns out she's been secretly working on a science project. Jade's interest is peaked when she learns of Tori's science partner. JORI one-shot (From a suggestion by MythicalParadox)


**A/N: One shot request from MythicalParadox. First one I ever got from you, so crossing my fingers you like it**

* * *

Tori Vega walked into the Asphalt Cafe overlooking Hollywood Arts. She smiled as she found her circle of friends in their usual spot. They were talking and laughing, not paying the approaching half-Latina any mind until she got close enough to drop down a box. The sudden appearance of Tori and the rattling of whatever was in that box startled the bunch.

"HEY GUYS!"

"Look everyone!" said Rex, sitting on Robbie's lap. "It's the elusive Vega Butterfly. Don't startle it or you won't see it for another three weeks."

The half-Latina made a smirk.

"Oh har-de-har-har."

Beck said, "I never say this. Ever. But the dummy's got a point."

"Yeah, where you been girl?" asked Andre.

For more than three weeks, Tori had not been joining the usual suspects for lunch. And after school and on weekends; she's been preoccupied. Even so far as to not answer calls or texts until much later. Her status on the slap hadn't changed in a month and she used to update that thing three times a day. She knew she would have to explain herself sometime.

"Okay, I've been very absent and very secretive" Tori admitted. "But now I can tell you why since it's practically done."

"Done?" asked Cat.

Jade tried to focus on her phone, hiding that she liked seeing Tori again.

"What did you do, Vega? Build a friend who will actually like you?"

Tori felt the punch of that insult but thought for a second and smiled.

"Don't worry, Jade. I promise to have it ready for you soon."

Andre and Beck high-five each other while Rex called out the sick burn. It's extra funny since Robbie stiffened in his seat along with Cat.

Jade looked up briefly but returned her attention to her phone. She gave the impression that she was engrossed in something important but really she was just playing Candy Crush. It was Jade's usual cover when people thought she wasn't actually hanging on every word. It was a way of being in on the conversation but controlling if and when Jade would participate in it.

"So what have you been up to?" Beck asked.

"Well, I have been working on a science project for the Pythagoras Institute Festival & Showcase."

Everyone around the table (save for Jade) looked at the tan girl blankly.

" _Python_?" Cat tried.

" _ **Pythagoras!**_ " Tori insisted. "Greek philosopher and mathematician?"

The redhead was silent, her expression frozen.

That made Tori groan and Jade grin.

"Ever heard of the Pythagorean theorem?"

"What is that, a racehorse?" asked Rex.

Tori just sneered at the puppet, disappointed that at least the guy running it was smarter than that.

"Anyway, the PIFS is a big deal in the science community. It's like the Regeneron Talent Search, but in Pasadena."

Beck and Andre looked at each other.

"The what?" Andre asked.

"You know, the Regeneron Talent Search. Used to be the Intel Talent Search. Before _that_ it was known as the Westinghouse...and I'm losing you all again, aren't I?"

Beck chuckled, "You see what I put up with when I talk cars."

"Dang, Vega" quipped Rex. "You're every ounce as brainy as you are gorgeous. Out of my league!"

"I'll try to deal with the disappointment," Tori sighed. "After school I just need to bring this box to Kyle."

"Kyle?" Jade looked up from her phone. "Who's Kyle?"

Tori smiled, "Oh, he's an old friend from Sherwood."

The Goth hated when Tori would drag out words like 'old.'

"Oh yeah, I forgot you used to go to Sherwood" Andre nodded.

Jade West was trying to act like she didn't care but her body language was saying something else.

"Have we met this guy before?" asked Beck.

"Doubtful," Tori replied, shaking her head. "You would remember a name like Kyle Hofstadter."

Jade shook her head. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Kyle Hofstadter," Tori iterated. "Now I really have to run before Festus runs out of chicken burritos! BRB!"

"Didn't know Tori was such a science fan," said Andre.

"I didn't know Vega managed to find someone dorkier than her," grimaced Jade.

"What do you mean?" asked Beck.

"I mean that Kyle boy can't be much with a name like that."

Andre shook his head.

"That's messed up, Jade."

"Whoa, baby!"

Everyone's attention was now on the little redhead holding her phone.

"I dunno, Jade. That Kyle's a cutie."

"What are you talking about?" Jade pressed.

Cat turned her phone around for all to see.

"See? I found his Sherwood profile. And look, he's got a little info about himself."

"What's it say?" Robbie asked.

Cat looked back on the screen to read.

"Oh, it says his father Leonard Hofstadter is a physics professor at CalTech and his mom," Cat gasped. "THAT'S why his last name was so familiar! Penny Hofstadter is a recurring actress on _Grey's Anatomy_."

Beck had already ran to Google Images for a headshot of the woman who played Dr. Helen Greene on TV.

"Oh wow," he said aloud.

Jade gave him a glare, which he responded with a shrug.

"What? We're broken up."

"No wonder Kyle looks like the anti-Robbie" Rex said. "That's just good genes."

"And that guy has been Tori's partner?" asked Andre.

"Lucky," Cat sighed, fawning over the profile pic of Kyle.

Jade just wordlessly (but loudly) got her books and abandoned the table. She didn't talk so much as grinded her teeth.

Tori returned a minute later and sat down. She quickly noticed the empty chair.

"Where's Jade?"

"Oh, she just left in a huff" quipped Beck.

"Is that like an Uber?" asked Cat.

The rest of the table rolled their eyes and resumed their meal.

* * *

Saturday afternoon in Pasadena at the Pythagoras Institute Festival & Showcase:

Tori rushed getting her little corner of the massive conference room all in order. Kyle came up behind her, pulling their project on a dolly. Their entry was so big and heavy that Kyle hatched the idea of building it on a wooden pallet so they could tow it away.

"Was Uncle Jorge nice to you?" Tori asked.

"Yes," Kyle sighed from exhaustion. "I can't thank him enough. Without a flatbed, there was no way this would leave my garage."

He unfurled the bungee cords around the tarp and held the covering on one end. Tori nodded and got to the other side of the tarp.

"Big reveal on three?" Tori said.

"One..." Kyle smiled.

"Two..." Tori grinned.

"THREE!" they exclaimed as they pulled the blue tarp back, revealing a robot dog about the size of an actual German Shepherd. It was silver and black and besides a few details, was very much identical to a dog's form.

Tori looked up at the skylight above them.

"I hope that gives us what he needs," she worried.

"I'm sure," Kyle reassured. "But let's test it out."

He turned on the robot with a switch on its back. The eyes lit up a warm blue color and a very mild hum was audible from the torso.

Tori excitedly got to the front of the dog.

Kyle shook his head at her enthusiasm. She acted like he was as real as any natural pooch.

"Max!" Tori called, clapping her hands. "Can you hear me?"

The eyes spun and the dog tilted its head, asking to be petted. Tori obliged and the robot let out a sound from its exhaust ports to mimic panting.

"Good boy!" encouraged Tori. "Now lay down."

The hydraulics whirred as the mechanical canine lowered himself down, with its eyes looking up.

"Oh, what a good boy you are!"

Now Tori was holding his cool metal face in her hands in a loving way.

"Your software really worked," Kyle remarked. "I think you may have stumbled on artificial intelligence."

"Oh, stop it!"

"No, I'm serious. Look at Max. He trusts you."

"I'm just glad I had no problem trusting you," Tori said. "Look at him, he's perfect."

"Who's perfect?" asked Beck.

Tori happily turned around and hugged her friends.

"I can't believe you all made it!"

"I wouldn't miss it," Andre said, he then noticed the dog. "Damn, Chica! Is that a robot?"

Tori nodded "Uh-huh. His name's Max. I just did the programming but Kyle built him from scratch."

"That's me, by the way" he smiled, shaking Andre's hand and then Beck's. Cat was already very much near him.

"Hey there," the redhead said flirtatiously.

Kyle chuckled a little nervously.

"Well hello. You must be Cat."

"That's me," she said.

"Aren't you the most unconventional thing at this convention," he smiled.

Cat belted out her very high-pitched laugh.

"Wasn't that funny," Andre whispered to Beck.

"Trust me," Beck said. "The way she's looking at him, Kyle's the funniest guy on the planet."

"Did Jade come?" Tori asked, looking disappointed.

"Why don't you turn around, Vega?"

The half-Latina whipped around and hugged the Goth, almost making her drop her coffee cup. Almost.

"If you're experiment is the effect on the body losing oxygen, please do it on someone else" Jade groaned.

Tori relented but kept her chipper spirits. She was already in a good mood but having Jade there sent her over the moon.

"Now I _know_ this one's Jade!" Kyle pointed.

 _"Oh great,"_ Jade said to herself. _"He's even more handsome in person."_

"Vega been talking trash about me, huh?"

Kyle shook his head.

"Don't know about that. I mean she mentioned everyone, but especially spoke highly of you."

Jade raised an eyebrow while Tori felt a panic attack coming on.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Kyle nodded. "I mean she would go on and on about how your audition was that day or that new streak you put in your hair, anyth-"

"OKAY!" Tori laughed. "I think that's enough about Jade."

Kyle then said, "Tori, don't be embarrassed. Its sweet how you talk about your girlfriend."

 _ **"Girlfriend?"**_

Everyone in the group, except for the new guy, had that question on their lips.

"You mean you're not-" Kyle looked confused. "I just assumed..."

Tori clutched her stomach.

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

She then hauled ass out of the vicinity.

Everyone looked at one another, stunned. The one most taken aback was Jade West. She slowly held out her arm to the nearest person, being Cat, who took the coffee.

"You guard this with your life," she warned.

"Kay Kay," nodded the redhead.

"VEGA WAIT!"

The Goth had no problem steamrolling over kids in school; here was no different. Eventually the science geeks got wise and parted like the Red Sea for the charging girl in black.

Getting to the front of the convention center, Jade folded her arms and looked around. She saw the full parking lot outside and was not looking forward to searching for Tori's car. It was then she noticed the restrooms near the main entrance.

Jade decided to try that first.

* * *

Inside the ladies' room, it was virtually deserted. One woman was just leaving as Jade went in. All of the stalls were designed to have the doors shut automatically. Only one of them seemed to be occupied because it had a pair of feet. With very recognizable shoes.

"You're so predictable, Vega" Jade said, her voice carried by the lavatory's generous acoustics.

"Please go away!"

Jade rolled her eyes and replied, "Fine. Here I go."

The brunette proceeded to walk in a circle, making her steps quieter and quieter until silence.

Silence.

"I'm not stupid, Jade" Tori sighed.

"Are you coming out?" Jade immediately realized her poor choice of words and added, "I meant out of the stall."

The echo of a deadbolt was answer enough.

The door swung open slowly and Tori emerged. She couldn't look Jade in the eye.

"Starting to see why you kept Kyle a secret. He can be a real blabbermouth."

Jade resorted to subterfuge until Tori was willing to say anything worthwhile. She began touching up her makeup and fixing her hair.

"I don't appreciate impromptu chases, Vega" she said. "I wasn't exactly wearing the right shoes."

"Sorry," Tori shyly said, staring at her feet.

"Boy was right about one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"You've got nothing to be ashamed of." Jade then grabbed Tori's head because she was tired of not being physically acknowledged. "So you're gay, big deal. But if you want a parade, I think you'll have to wait until next summer."

"I'm still figuring things out, Jade, alright!"

Jade relinquished her grip and Tori rubbed her own arm.

"I don't know what my deal is - gay, bi, pan - i don't know and frankly I don't give a shit."

That last word echoed through the room, making the curse stand out even more out of the usually meek Vega.

Tori stared at herself in the mirror, leaning over the sink.

"Call me whatever you think fits, Jade. Labels don't matter to me. That's not important. People are important." Tori swallowed what felt like a boulder. "You're important."

Jade lowered her head so she was in the line of sight of the droopy Vega.

"Pardon?"

"He's right," Tori blurted out, throwing her hands. "About everything. I-I like you and not as a friend."

"Even after I was a total bitch to you since...well, day one?"

Tori smiled and turned to face her better.

"You've grown since then."

Jade chuckled and Tori even joined in.

"I never saw you take an interest in sciency-stuff before," Tori mentioned. "Why...uh...why did you come?"

"Everybody else was," Jade shrugged. "Didn't want to be alone and I couldn't convince them not" she then did air quotes "to support you and crap."

The half-Latina eyed the goth suspiciously.

"What?"

"Are you sure you didn't come because of the guy I was hanging with?"

"He wasn't bad-looking, if that's what you're getting at," Jade matter-of-factly replied.

Tori grinned.

"What's that about?"

"Beck told me you started acting funny when you found out my partner was a handsome genius."

Jade put on her best poker face.

"Maybe I was pondering how I could steal him for myself," she said.

Tori nodded, "Or maybe you were worried he would lure me away?"

 _"Oh shit, what's happening here?"_ thought Jade.

She then locked the door and darted back to Tori.

"Okay, Vega. What's up?"

"Nothing, what's up with you?"

The dark-haired one blinked.

"I thought I was coming in here to coax you out and you're interrogating me now?"

Tori breathed heavily.

"Look it, I wanted to tell you how I felt. Something less sudden, something less public..."

"...than what just happened?" Jade finished.

"I don't know," Tori said. "I've been getting this vibe from you. Maybe I was hoping you sort of felt the same way to me."

"Example!" Jade demanded.

Tori began pacing the room like a detective at the end of a mystery.

"Jade, how come this last time you and Beck broke up, and every other time before that, you never dated anyone? Not even to make him jealous?"

"Not true," Jade protested. "What about that Moose guy?"

Tori folded her arms, "Yeah that was just you being competitive. You didn't really want Moose. You just wanted to beat me and Cat."

Jade made a face.

"Okay, that _does_ sound like something I'd do."

"Like you, the great Jade West, would have any problem getting someone to date you? You know, that wasn't automatically terrified of you." Tori stopped moving and just looked at her. "I mean you're the total package. You're gorgeous, smart, have a sense of humor..."

 _ **"And?"**_

" _And_ you can rock anything you wear because you've got a body that just won't quit."

"Damn, Vega" Jade smiled. "This kind of adoration might just lure me to the other side after all."

Tori started to shake her head when she felt her hair being pulled back, exposing her long neck. Jade nibbled on it, rubbing where she bit with her warm tongue. Then that very tongue traveled upward, past her chin and into Tori's parted mouth. The kiss lasted only ten seconds but it was the best ten seconds in human history as far as Tori Vega was concerned.

"Or maybe...I'm already there and was just waiting for the right girl to be gay with."

"I...whoa...give me a minute," Tori said. "When did this happen?"

"This past winter, a little before me and Beck broke it off. I had pictures of when we were at Sinjin's surprisingly good Halloween Party. I noticed two pictures I kept returning to. One was Beck when he cross-dressed as Black Widow and you were going as Wynonna Earp, black wig and all."

Tori laughed.

"Yeah, I remember that one. You stole my gun."

"Peacemaker, show some respect!" Jade chided. "Anyway, I saw how good you looked. Like, really really good. And then I saw Beck who I was intimate with more than once. I then started thinking...if he was a girl would I still feel the same way. Like if my boyfriend was suddenly a girl, how would that affect me. The more I thought about it the more I wished it would happen. Next thing I knew, I realized boys weren't my thing. Can't say I didn't try but nothing ever panned out, you know?"

"Are you suggesting..." Tori held Jade's hands in her own. "That we held out for each other...as our first girlfriend ever?"

Jade pulled her in close.

"First _and_ last because you're pretty damn perfect, Vega. Let's see, queer _and_ a science nerd. Anything else you're doing time in the closet for?"

Tori put on her thinking face.

"Mmmmm. Okay. I actually liked _Man of Steel_."

"Yeeesh," Jade said. "Well, two out of three ain't bad."

Tori grabbed the back of Jade's head and initiated her own hot kiss.

A loud banging on the door made them both break it.

 _ **"OCCUPIED!"**_

 _ **"OCCUPIED!"**_

* * *

After a few more minutes, the pair finally joined their friends for the judging.

Tori apologized for deserting Kyle like that but he shook his head.

"It's fine," he said. "I'm just glad you two worked things out."

Jade held up their joined hands and looked at them.

"I guess I should thank you for being Bumble the Boy Wonder of Social Blunder."

The rest of the guys snickered at that.

Kyle said, "Oh, no. You haven't met my dad's best friend. Talk about all book and no street."

"Are they done yet?" Beck asked, eyeing the judges returning to their room away from the competitors.

Andre turned around. "Hey, Tori I never asked. What are the prizes here?"

Tori replied, "Third gets you a car, Second place a full scholarship."

"First is $250,000" Kyle added.

The boys looked like their eyes were going to bulge from their heads.

"Damn," sighed Andre looking at the robot dog. "If I major in music, I'm definitely minoring in engineering."

"No kidding," Beck agreed. "I'm so sorry, Tori. If I knew you were on the path to possibly a quarter million dollars, I would understand if you ignored me for a whole year!"

Jade admired the mechanical mongrel, petting it a little herself.

"Can you program this thing to attack people?"

"That would be an ethical quagmire," Kyle said.

"How about just training it to hump Trina's leg?" Jade offered.

Tori held Jade tightly. "If you do that, I'll never speak to you again."

"You're telling me...that if I'm gonna be your girlfriend, then...I have to be... _nice?_ "

"Uh-huh," Tori grinned. "But being a sweetie does come with perks."

The half-Latina gave a little kiss on Jade's ear, which sent chills down her spine.

"Okay, let's go!"

With that, Jade was dragging Tori away from the booth.

"Jade, what about the contest?"

"I don't need money, haven't picked a school yet and I already have a car!"

Tori stammered, "B-b-b-but..."

"And right now I plan to have _you_ in that very car."

The tan girl quickly realized what Jade meant and there was only one question.

"Still have tinted windows?" Tori asked.

"Look who you're asking!"

* * *

 **Guess our ladies weren't done making out just yet. They might be a while but their friends know better than to ask.**

 **Hoped you liked my little nod to _The Big Bang Theory._ One of my favorite sitcoms.**


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